How to Trigger Piston From Virtual Button

[n8xja (Tony)]

I have been enjoying the flexibility in using WebCore Pistons and I’m stumped on something that doesn’t at least seem obvious to me at this point. I would like to trigger a piston from the Smartthings app from like a virtual switch. The use case here is to run a piston that sets my exterior lights based on the press of a button on a z-wave remote. Pointers on how to create a virtual button that could be seen in WebCore would be greatly appreciated.

[BartschLabs]

@n8xja, I have quite a few of these. I use a smart app called Alexa Helper to create the virtual buttons. Then in the piston I use an if name of virtual button switch changes then…

[WB70]

Goto Marketplace / SmartApps in the ST Classic app under More and scroll to the bottom and you will see Virtual Device Creator. SmartThings added this SmartApp a couple months ago

As of right now it lets you create a Virtual Switch or a Virtual Dimmer Switch (they are discussing on adding more types later), but that gets you exactly what you need and it’s an ST created SmartApp.

Also: Make sure you select your Hub when creating the device. This will allow the Virtual switch to execute locally. The Virtual Switches are new for this very reason.

Other SmartApps will create using “Simulated Switch” which does not and cannot run locally. Those other SmartApps will need to be updated to include these new devices and they will also need to be updated to include the Hub Name (not a required field when creating a device).

[TN_Oldman (Don)]

@n8xja

The use case here is to run a piston that sets my exterior lights based on the press of a button on a z-wave remote

I understand the need for a virtual switch, but why if your using a physical switch to trigger the event. Can’t you just use the button press on the z-wave remote to trigger your Webcore piston?

[n8xja (Tony)]

The remote is not always near by when I wanted the piston triggered.

[n8xja (Tony)]

Thank you @WB70 - I did not know that was in there and it’ll get put to good use!

[rontalley]

@n8xja

The remote is not always near by when I wanted the piston triggered.

How would you trigger it then? I’m just a little confused…

Also, I hope SmartThings expand their VS Creator App…I still use this one which creates 4 different kinds of switches including a button.

[OBSOLETE] SwitchMania - create 4 different kinds of virtual switches

SwitchMania - get here Create, Control, and Use virtual switches from a single Parent App. No need to use IDE. Allows you to replace dozens of SmartApps with just 1! And if you decide that you no longer need a virtual switch (and/or the link to a Routine), then SwitchMania App deletes it. SwitchMania - is the parent app. It controls 2 types of child apps: (1) My Virtual Switch Creator - which creates virtual (on/off or momentary) switches and (2) My Switch Calls Routines App - which links a switch with a Routine (Hello Home) when a switch is turned on or off. You need to install all 3 apps in the IDE. To have SwitchMania be able to create Virtual Momentary Button Device, you also need to install SmartThings’ “Momentary Button Tile” in the IDE. Instructions: The first page of …

[TN_Oldman (Don)]

So in Webcore the if portion is if “virtual switch or remote button”. Seems pretty simple once you create the virtual switch, either through IDE or using the smart app.